November 21, 2007

Some time ago I read the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson after Shanti reviewed it on her blog. I wrote about it and placed on the sidebar under books I had read with 5 stars. A professor at West Chester University is sponsoring a talk and must have been a little concerned about attendance so close to the Thanksgiving holidays because he did a Google search and sent me an invite to the talk.

Well, he needn't have worried about attendance since every seat in the place was taken and there were even a few people who stood in back. While I left with plenty of time (4 hours 15 minutes for a 2 hour 30 min drive), the traffic was horrible although the foliage was remarkable on the early part of the drive so I arrived just as they were turning down the lights. I guess one of the disadvantages of having a talk at a university after Thanksgiving break has started is that there is no one who understands how the light and sound systems work so this was a bit of an issue through out the talk and kept me from taking any pictures.

Greg Mortenson isn't a dynamic speaker. Rather, he is a dynamic person with lots of stories to tell who dislikes public speaking. He is very personable and takes time to speak to everyone as he signs books and greets people, like another author I have been to see. However getting there so late, I missed the pre-talk session. Afterward I was so tired that I was not able to have him pose holding a sock although I thought about it.

Greg is the most regular person that you could ever meet. He just happened to make a promise to a little girl and then found himself with the unenviable task of keeping that promise. Once he had learned how to do it and saw the smiles on the children's faces, the positive impact on these small villages, how could he stop. Greg builds schools. He builds schools for girls in a place that often fails to educate its girls. If you get a chance to see him, I highly recommend it.

November 18, 2007

A group of educators that I am associated with choose a book every year to discuss in a book group. The Kabul Beauty Schoolby Deborah Rodriguez was our selection for the 2007-2008. I am not sure that I otherwise would have found this book, but it definitely had an effect on me.

Do you ever read a book that causes you to question what you are doing with your life? That makes you realize there is so much more you could be doing to make the world a better place? That makes you see the people out there that can use their skills to make positive change while you are sitting around drinking Guinness? The kind of book that makes you want to be a better person? This was one of those books.

The premise of this memoir/non fiction book is that Ms. Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother from middle America, finagles her way into a humanitarian team heading to Afghanistan after the September 11th terrorist attacks. On this team of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, she questions her usefulness while continuing to make friends with the local Afghanis and cutting the hair of the expatriates and aid workers who find themselves living in or visiting Kabul. While there, an idea is born. She decides to start a beauty school to train Afghani women, giving them autonomy and newfound respect in their families in this patriarchal culture.

I was impressed by how Ms. Rodriguez was able to identify her strengths and over come many obstacles to make her idea a reality and to better the lives of so many women in Afghanistan. In the same situation, I wonder if I would be able to think as big and execute such a plan to make it a reality. If you have any interest in humanitarian aid and international projects this book is a must read. I found it both enjoyable and entertaining.

June 06, 2007

Like many knit bloggers out there I was approached by Anne from The Book Report Network to write a review of Debbie Macomber's newest knitting book Back to Blossom Street. This is the fourth book that has been set on Blossom Street and the third featuring the yarn shop, A Good Yarn. Back on Blossom Street is the story of 4 women who have been brought together by an interest in knitting who go on to become friends. They learn about trust and friendship as they share their problems and experiences.

It is easy reading and the story is written clearly enough that following each character's story is not a chore. I read it in a couple of evenings and think it would be fitting for a shady spot on the lake while sipping lemonade or while hanging out under the umbrella at the beach.* Occasionally my editing hat (and desire for concise writing) would whisper in my ear "was that last sentence really necessary? or didn't she already tell us that?" but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of this quick and enjoyable read.

*If you tan that would be a good time too but the other day I was checking out the two albino twins in one of my classes and realized the only difference in skin color between them and me was the occasional freckle and mole -- I better keep out of the sun

November 22, 2006

Several months ago I came across this recommendation for a good read on Adventures in Paradise. I finally got a hold of the book and I loved it.

Have you ever read something that made you question your day to day actions and your impact on the world. This book will make you do that . Greg Mortenson is able to take an improbable promise to an impoverished village and overcome doubt, indifference, cultural differences and political realities to create a lasting legacy and then do it again and again. The CAI does amazing work for education and women in an area of the world that everyone else has forgotten or only sees as a source of future terrorists.

*The Northeaster passing through here today has me holed up and knitting and not feeling like going out to find wireless Internet to download pictures.